Society of Arts + Crafts - Executive Director

Organization
Incorporated in 1897, the Society of Arts and Crafts
(SA+C) has been at the forefront of the American craft movement, fostering the
development, sales, recognition, and education of crafts for over 100 years. SA+C’s
dual mission is to encourage thecreation,
collection, and promotion of the work of contemporary craft artists and to advance
the public appreciation of fine craft.

To fulfill its mission, SA+C presents exceptional group and solo
exhibitions, the Artist Awards Programs, the John D. Mineck Furniture
Fellowship, and ongoing educational programming. SA+C’s exhibitions have
highlighted masters such as William Daley and Lino Tagliapietra, shown
ground-breaking work, including Wendy Maruyama’s Executive Order 9066 and I.M.A.G.I.N.E.
PEACE NOW, and provided venues for young artists and cutting-edge work.
Additionally, every year SA+C manages two retail events: CraftBoston
Spring and CraftBoston Holiday. CraftBoston is considered one of the top craft
shows in the country and was the first to provide a mentoring program for
emerging artists. In all, SA+C promotes the work of more than 400 craft artists
in their exhibition and retail galleries on an ongoing basis.

In 2016 SA+C moved to
the rapidly developing Seaport District after more than 40 years on Boston’s
historic Newbury Street. The new location, designed by the award-winning
design firm Sasaki, includes 9,000 square feet of retail, exhibition, and
program space, enabling SA+C to broaden its scope to include residencies, panel
discussions, and symposia.

SA+C is governed by a 22-member
board of trustees, led by President Jennifer Rayburn Billings, and is supported
by a six-person advisory council and 12-member resource council. There is an
administrative staff of five full-time and five part-time individuals. SA+C’s
operating budget for the year ending January 2018 is approximately $1 million,
with roughly 72 percent from earned revenue, 18 percent from fundraising
activities, and 10 percent from grants. Its ongoing financial health is
bolstered by a $1.1 million endowment that includes board-designated and
restricted funds.

Community

As New England’s
largest city, Boston has long been the region’s economic and cultural hub, with
strong professional sectors in education, technology, and healthcare. Boston
proper has an estimated population of 667,000 residents and the Greater Boston
area has nearly 4.7 million residents. This thriving region offers rich
history, diverse neighborhoods, and world-renowned arts and culture offerings
attended by more than 18 million people each year.

Playing a key part of the United
States’ early history, Boston developed into a global entity and is now
placed among the top 30 most economically powerful cities in the world. It is a world leader ininnovationandentrepreneurship, cemented by the growing presence of venture capital, finance, and tech
companies.There are more than 50 institutions of higher
education, including superlative programs in law, medicine, music, theater,
art, engineering, and business. These have a significant impact on
the regional economy, drawing more than 350,000
students from around the world as well as attracting major employers to the
area.

§Represent
SA+C externally to potential donors and funding sources, articulating the
mission and vision of the organization and its impact.

§Supervise all aspects of the exhibition program and
retail operations (including CraftBoston) to ensure programmatic and revenue
goals are met.

§Cultivate existing and identify new
funding opportunities. Develop and execute strategies to maximize the
visibility, brand, and earned and contributed revenues of SA+C.

§Provide leadership to the board and staff in
fundraising activities, maintain strong relationships with the funding
community, and develop effective donor stewardship and cultivation methods.

§Adopt
a hands-on leadership role in growing all potential sources of contributed
income, including major gift cultivation, corporate sponsorship, grant writing,
and special project fundraising.

Operational Planning,
Administration, and Project Management

§Direct and assume overall
responsibility for all SA+C operations, facilities, programs, and personnel.

§Provide leadership and
coordination in the development of the annual budget and regularly monitor and report
on the performance of the budget and all financial matters.

§Monitor and report on
organizational performance; review all areas of resource management for
innovative solutions to maximize operational efficiency; and assure that the
necessary policies, system controls, and procedures are in place, being
followed, and regularly reviewed.

§Provide effective project
oversight and crisis management in a fast-paced environment to ensure that all
SA+C activities and projects are delivered on time, scope, and budget.

Team Management and Development

§Direct
administrative personnel relations so that the organization is effectively
structured and staffed with competent employees.

§Hire
and supervise administrative staff in accordance with SA+C’s policies and all
applicable laws; plan and oversee work; and appraise performance.

§Act
as the communication conduit between the board and staff.

§Create
and promote a positive work environment, facilitate staff participation in
decision-making, and encourage staff ownership of the organization’s success.

§Encourage
achievement and professional development of administrative staff, serve as
staff advocate, and provide ongoing feedback, coaching, mentoring, and training
as appropriate.

§Resolve
issues promptly and collaboratively, making a genuine effort to get to know,
understand, and support people in appropriate ways.

§Ensure
effective communication and work coordination with the board and its board
committees, including the distribution of timely and accurate information.

§Oversee
long-term strategic planning and implementation processes and collaborate with
the board and internal stakeholders to refine strategic objectives.

§Follow
external trends and developments; identify and explore the viability of new
business initiatives; and actively seek new partnership opportunities to
support SA+C’s mission and objectives.

§Create
a cohesive and collaborative vision that inspires and motivates the entire
organization.

Traits
and Characteristics

The next Executive Director will be a resilient leader
and visionary who is motivated by a demanding environment and embraces the
values of teamwork and collaboration. This individual will be versatile and
able to rapidly adapt to changing priorities. A proven track record of success
in working with boards, staff, communities, and major donors to achieve goals
is a must. An innovative, approachable, and
hands-on manager, the Executive Director will be a forward-looking and
entrepreneurial self-starter with keen business acumen and strong people
management skills to deliver results.

Other key competencies include the following:

§Leadership
– Inspires and stimulates others to accomplish goals while creating a sense of
order, direction, and active participation among a variety of stakeholders.

§Personal Accountability
– Prioritizes and completes tasks that are necessary to meet the mutually
agreed upon expectations of the role while being accountable for personal and
professional actions.

§Project Management
– Identifies and oversees all resources, tasks, systems, and people to obtain
results. Focuses on goals and priorities, delegates appropriate
responsibilities, and ensures adequate resources are available to achieve
objectives.

A bachelor’s
degree plus a minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible
senior management experience are required. Nonprofit background and/or
experience in an arts organization is advantageous. Candidates should possess a
command of running a nonprofit organization, including grant writing, financial
management, governance and staff development, strategic planning, project management,
and operations. A proven track record of success working with boards, staff,
communities, and major donors to achieve goals is necessary. Excellent oral and written communication
skills and broad knowledge
and appreciation of contemporary craft are preferred.

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Who We Are

Americans for the Arts serves, advances, and leads the network of organizations and individuals who cultivate, promote, sustain, and support the arts in America. Founded in 1960, Americans for the Arts is the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education.